Can-opener.



'No. 731,329. I PATENTED' JUNE 16, 1903:.

H. .TILL, CAN OPENER.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 13, 1903.

no MODEL.

Patented June 16 1903.

HENRY TILL, OF TUCSON, ARIZONA TERRITORY.

CAN-OPENER.

E5PECIFIGATION. forming part of Letters Patent No. 731,329, dated June 16, 1903.. Application filed April 13, 1908. Serial No. 152,468. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY TILL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Tucson, in the county of Pima and Territory of Arizona, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Oan'Openers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the type of implements designed for opening packages containing goods stored in sheet-metal cans of various shapes. A vast number of such packages are provided with a sealing-strip to facilitate their opening in conjunction with a key upon which said strip is wound for turning the key.

This invention provides an implement adapted to open either style of package or can, the key member being pivoted to the stock to open and close and adapted to form a guard to protect the hand from injury when using the ordinary form of can-opener to cut the top in the usual manner, and said stock in turn forming a lever or handle when using the implement to open a can having a sealing-strip.

For a full description of the invention and the merits thereof and also to acquire a knowledge of the details of construction of the means for effecting the result reference is to be had to the following description and drawings hereto attached.

While the essential and characteristic features of the invention are susceptible of modification, still the preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a side elevation of a can-opener embodying the invention, the key member being closed. Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, the key member being open. Fig. 3 is a transverse section about on the line X X of Fig. 1.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

The can-opener comprises a stock 1, provided at one end with a handle portion 2 and at its opposite end with a blade 3 and fulcrum member 4. "The handle portion 2 is curved, as shown at 5, to engage around the little finger of the hand and prevent slipping.

The blade 3 and fulcrum portion 4 are of ordinary construction and operate in the usual way for opening a can or sheet-metal package not provided with a sealing-strip. The key member 6 tapers throughout its length and is pivoted at its inner end to stock 1 at 7, said pivotal end being forked to embrace opposite sides of the stock, to which it is connected by a suitable pivot-fastening, the bifurcations being let into recesses in the sides. of the stock, so as to come flush therewith. A slot 8 extends lengthwise of the key member through its outer extremity and is adapted to receive the projecting portion of the sealing-strip of a can or metal package. By having slot 8 open outward and the key member tapered the key may be readily disconnected from the sealing-strip after the package has been opened. The key member is pivoted to the stock 1 about at a central point and is of a length to touch the curved end 5 0f the handle portion 2, which forms a stop therefor, so as to provide a space between parts 2 and 6 for reception of the fingers of the hand when the implement is grasped to use blade 3 in the accustomed Way. The key member 6 forms a guard and prevents injurious contact of the hand with ragged edges of the can in the event of the implement slipping when blade 3 is in use. The key member 6 may be held closed against part 5 by any well-known means, and in the present instance the bifurcations are made to grip opposite sides of stock 1 with a degree of pressure to hold member 6 in the re quired position. The key member 6 in ad dition to forming a guard for protecting the hand also serves to close space 9, formed between parts 2 and 6, thereby preventing lateral displacement of the implement when suspended from a hook or nail.

For opening a can or metal package provided with a sealing-strip the projecting end of the latter is passed into slot 8, the key member being opened about as shown in Fig. 2, after which stock 1 is grasped and turned so as to wind up the sealing-strip upon part 6 and open the can or package in the wellknown manner. After the can has been opened the sealing-strip may be readily disengaged from the key by endwise movement thereon, the open slot 8 and tapering form of the key member admitting of the ready removal of the strip.

Having thus described the invention, What is claimed as new is- 1. A can-opening implement comprising a stock provided at one end with a handle portion and at its opposite end with a can-opening blade, and a key member pivoted to the stock intermediate of its ends and adapted to close against the handle portion of the stock and form a guard, said key member'being tapered and having a longitudinal slot opening through its outer or free end, substantially as set forth.

2. A tool for opening cans and metal packages, the same comprising a stock provided at one end with a blade and rest and having a handle portion at its opposite endterminating in a curved portion, and a key member pivoted at one end to the stock intermediate of its ends and made tapered and having a longitudinal slot opening through its outer or free end, said key member adapted to close against the curved end of the handle portion of the stock and form a guard, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY TILL. [L. s] Witnesses:

EUGENE W. NORRIS, N. HILL. 

